Faith-Based Education

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Excellence
in values and in learning

Upon arriving in the Triangle, one of the first questions
many parents ask is, “What are the educational options for my children?” The
answer ? There are many alterantives here. Let’s take a look at
faith-based, private schools. Unlike secular education, faith-based schools
can provide an option for parents who want to have their children taught
within their moral and spiritual belief backgrounds.

Many parents want
what the public schools cannot provide: an education of both the mind
and the soul. “To do that, we must have outstanding
teachers and coaches, who not only embody Christ-like character, but
who can teach it as well. At St. David’s, our mission is to prepare
young men and women for college, and for life, by providing challenging
opportunities to excel in the vital areas of faith, virtue, and knowledge,” says
John Murray, Headmaster of St. David’s Episcopal School in Raleigh.

“Parents
must consider the total education of a child, which is made up of four
areas: academic, spiritual, social, and physical, “ says
Dr. S.L. Sherrill, Superintendent of North Raleigh Christian Academy(NRCA). “We
encourage and guide our students to develop excellence in each of these
four facets of education.”

The leading faith-based schools place
an emphasis on community service, arts and athletics, not just academic
and spiritual development. Your child could participate in an orchestra,
or play football on a school-sponsored team, just like at any secular
school. In performing community service, NRCA, for example, requires
each high school student to complete at least 12 hours each year, but
many often do more than that. For example, your child could do community
service by recycling cans to benefit the Ronald McDonald House, by
performing Christmas carols, or by visiting nursing homes.

Allowing each child to learn at his or her own pace
is another reason for choosing a faith-based school. Peter Denton, Jr.,
Headmaster of Trinity School in Durham, agrees. "One of our missions is to
be 'unhurried',” he
says. “At Trinity, we understand that people are also spiritual
beings, and that it takes time to both develop the spirit and to learn.
We live today in a culture of speed, but faster is not always better
in
education."

Today, students have excellent academic opportunities
in a faith-based school, with general, preparatory, or honor academic
tracks available. Most students score just as well just as children from
secular schools on national standardized tests, like the SATs and the
ACT, and gain entrance into prestigious higher educational institutions.

In short, faith-based schools are a wonderful alternative
to public schools and to private secular academies, with the emphasis
of spirituality added to education. So, if the oustanding option of faith-based
schools fits your child’s academic and spiritual needs, consider yourself lucky—the
Triangle has an abundance of options to choose from!